Team
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Lab retreat to Istanbul 2011
September 19th to 22nd the group went to the island Büyükada, close to Istanbul, to enjoy historical journal clubs, talks, discussions and the hospitality, fantastic food and atmosphere of Turkey.
(Click on the picture for a larger version) |
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Nikolaus RajewskyHead of the Group
Contact information: E-mail: rajewsky at mdc-berlin dot de |
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Catherine AdamidiSenior Scientist
Contact information: E-mail: catherine dot adamidi at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2972 |
Start date: February 2007
Funding: MDC |
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"My research interests are centered on two main questions: how do small RNAs mediate the regulation of gene expression and how conserved are these mechanisms across evolution? |
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Salah AyoubTechnician
Contact information: E-mail: salah dot ayoub at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2973 |
Start date: December 2008
Funding: |
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Antigoni (Anna) ElefsiniotiPostdoctoral Researcher
Contact information: E-mail: antigoni dot elefsinioti at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2979 |
Start date: January 2011
Funding: DLR-BMBF |
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"My main research interest is focused on alternative functions of the microRNA machinery that are not strictly involved in post-transcriptional regulation. As a bioinformatician I apply computational and statistical methods for my research in close collaboration with experimentalists." |
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Stefanie GrosswendtPh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: stefanie dot grosswendt at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2973 |
Start date: April 2011
Funding: |
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"I am studying microRNA biology in vivo using C.elegans as a model organism. Specifically, I am trying to investigate mechanisms of microRNA target site recognition by experimental identification of microRNA:mRNA interaction sites." |
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Dominic GruenPostdoctoral Researcher
Contact information: E-mail: dominic dot gruen at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 3163 |
Start date: April 2010
Funding: |
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"I am investigating genome-wide changes in transcript and protein expression that drive transitions between cellular states during early development. With the help of cross-species comparisons, I am trying to identify conserved core networks required to control a cellular state as well as the evolutionary plasticity on the level of gene expression and on the level of regulatory interactions. One of my specific goals is to better understand the differential impact of evolution of expression on the level of mRNA and protein." |
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Margareta HerzogLab Manager
Contact information: E-mail: margareta dot herzog at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2972 (lab), -2973 (lab), -2996 (office) |
Start date: March 2011
Funding: MDC |
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Andranik IvanovPh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: andranik dot ivanov at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 4248 |
Start date: January 2010
Funding: SatNet |
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"I am studying transcriptional regulation in mouse pancreatic, myoblast and stem cells. My main interests are engaged with computational integration of gene expression data with chromatin/DNA modification/occupancy data (transcription factors, DNA modifying enzymes and RNA Pol II)." |
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Marvin JensPh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: marvin dot jens at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2989 |
Start date: May 2009
Funding: MDC |
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"I studied physics in cologne and joined the computational team of the lab as a PhD student in 2009. Besides developing tools for stringent filtering and analysis of high-throughput data, I also study theoretical aspects of gene regulation. I am particularly interested in the flow of information between the transcriptome as a whole and RNA-binding proteins and small RNAs, and how to reconstruct details of these interactions." |
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Anna-Carina JungkampPh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: anna-carina dot jungkamp at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2973 |
Start date: October 2009
Funding: |
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"We are using C.elegans to study the binding repertoire and function of RNA binding proteins in vivo. Our recent data uncovered that the conserved translational repressor GLD-1 binds (besides 3'UTRs) near the start codon of target mRNAs. By altering sequence and position of RBP target sites within the context of reporter mRNAs, we are now starting to explore the mechanistic and functional consequences of RBP binding to 3' and 5'UTRs." |
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Toshiaki KogamePh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: toshiaki dot kogame at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2972 |
Start date: October 2009
Funding: BIMSB/MDC |
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"I am trying to develop novel transgenic techniques in C.elegans. So far, I studied transgenic techniques in human, mouse and chicken thus I want to apply this experience to C.elegans research, especially the germ line development field. A particular aim is to develop conditional knock out systems." |
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Sebastian MackowiakPh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: sebastian dot mackowiak at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2992 |
Start date: May 2009
Funding: |
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"My research interests are in the computational analysis of animal small RNA deep sequencing data. In particular, I am focusing on the identification of miRNAs and their target genes. Currently, I am trying to computationally detect functional small peptides (so called “micro peptides”) in flies." |
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Luisa MaierTechnician
Contact information: E-mail: luisa dot maier at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 4860 |
Start date: September 2011
Funding: MDC (zentral) |
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Sebastian MemczakPh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: sebastian dot memczak at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 3464 |
Start date: September 2011
Funding: MDC (zentral) |
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"I am interested in the molecular pathways involved in carcinogenesis. In particular I want to elucidate the interplay of microRNAs and de-regulated cell cycle progression as one hallmark of cancer. To this end I use a variety of human and murine cell culture model systems." |
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Pinar ÖnalPh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: pinar dot oenal at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2973 |
Start date: February 2009
Funding: MDC |
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"I am interested in the evolution of pluripotency throughout metazoan life. Planarian stem cells offer an informative model for human stem cells in understanding the conservation as well as divergence of pluripotency regulation. In particular, I focus on the conservation of epigenetic and post-transcriptional regulatory factors." |
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Lena von OertzenTechnician
Contact information: E-mail: lena dot oertzen at mdc-berlin dot de Phone. +49 30 9406 2972 |
Start date: December 2009
Funding: MDC |
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Agnieszka RybakPostdoctoral Researcher
Contact information: E-mail: agnieszka dot rybak at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2972 |
Start date: October 2009
Funding: MDC |
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"I am interested in the function of microRNAs and the microRNA processing machinery during stem cell differentiation, development and regeneration. A particular focus is on how these factors regulate embryonic and adult neurogenesis. Currently I’m pursuing two projects: a) microRNAs and microRNA regulators in planaria regeneration b) in vivo targets of DCR-1 in C.elegans (in collaboration with Marvin Jens)." |
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Jordi Solana GarciaPostdoctoral Researcher
Contact information: E-mail: jordi dot solana at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2973 |
Start date: April 2011
Funding: MDC |
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"I am interested in the regulation of stem cells from an evolutionary point of view. I use planarians as an illustrating model since they have totipotent stem cells –neoblasts- that drive their tissue homeostasis and their striking regeneration capabilities. Planarians also offer an evolutionary point of view to discern the conservation of these mechanisms in other metazoans." |
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Marlon StoeckiusPostdoctoral Researcher
Contact information: E-mail: marlon dot stoeckius at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2973 |
Start date: July 2007
Funding: MDC |
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"I am using C.elegans as a model to study the composition and dynamics of gene expression at the oocyte-to-embryo transition. While this transition is entirely post-transcriptionally controlled in many (if not all) organisms, I am ultimately very much interested in how post-transcriptional gene regulation impinges on and interplays with transcriptional gene regulatory networks leading to the development of a functionally and spatially organized embryo." |
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Kathrin TheilPh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: kathrin dot theil at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2972 |
Start date: September 2010
Funding: |
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"I am interested in the role of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in posttranscriptional gene regulation. My research centres on i) the mechanisms underlying translational control by RBPs and on ii) competition effects in posttranscriptional gene regulation. To address my questions, I employ cell culture and transgenics in C. elegans combined with high-throughput methods like mass spectrometry and transcriptome-wide methods like PAR-CLIP." |
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Francesca TortiPh.D. Student
Contact information: E-mail: francesca dot torti at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2972 |
Start date: February 2012
Funding: |
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"My interest lies in identifying evolutionary preserved roles of small RNAs involved in oocyte to embryo transition. My specific aim is to learn more about in vivo targets and function of small non-coding RNAs and RNA-binding proteins expressed in the germ line of C.elegans. To characterize and validate on protein level the direct impact of these regulatory processes, I will use molecular biology methods, such as iPARCLIP, RNAi and in vivo SILAC." |
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Alex TschernycheffAdministration
Contact information: E-mail: tschernycheff at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2999 Fax: +49 30 9406 3068 |
Start date: May 2006
Funding: MDC |
Ulrike ZieboldPostdoctoral Researcher
Contact information: E-mail: uziebold at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 2103 Fax: +49 30 9406 3068 |
Start date: September 2011
Funding: DFG-KFO218/0 |
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"Tumorsuppressors and oncogenes. Growth control within normal and cancer stem cells. Epigenetic contribution to proliferation and stemness." |
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Associated PI
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Christine KocksAssociate PI
Contact information: E-mail: christine dot kocks at mdc-berlin dot de Phone: +49 30 9406 3537 |
Start date: January 2012
Funding: MDC |
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"I am interested in systems biology approaches to study gene regulation in tissue development, repair and regeneration. I will use C. elegans and Planaria as model systems and try to apply or refine genetic techniques for the microscopic tracking of individual RNA-protein complexes. In close collaboration with the Rajewsky lab I hope to uncover evolutionarily conserved mechanisms that will further our understanding of human stem cells and cancer." |
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Former Lab Members
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Kevin Chenwas a PostDoc in our lab
Current Address: Assistant Professor at Rutgers University, NJ, USA
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Marc Friedlaenderwas a Ph.D. student now a EMBO PostDoc at the CRG in Barcelona Current Address: Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain
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Azra Krekwas a Ph.D. studentis now a staff scientist at Sloan-Kettering, New York Current Address: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY, USA
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Jonas MaaskolaPh.D. Student (currently Guest status at the MDC)
Contact information: E-mail: jonas dot maaskola at mdc-berlin dot de
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Nadine Thierfelderwas a Ph.D. Student
Contact Information: E-mail: n.thierfelder at mdc-berlin dot de
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Svetlana Lebedevawas a Ph.D. Student is now a PostDoc with Rene Ketting
Contact information: E-mail: lebedeva at mdc-berlin dot de
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Minnie Zhou Fangis now a PostDoc at DRFZ in Berlin
Contact information: E-mail: f dot zhuo at mdc-berlin dot de
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